Terminal support



E. E. SUTHERLAND TERMINAL SUPPORT Fiied Aug.- 6, 1923 ATTORNEY l atented Oct. 11, 1927. 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST E. swans-L ND, or MANSFIELD, OHIO, nssrenon TO THE WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRICa'rannnrnornnms COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TERMINAL SUPPQRT.

Application-filed August 6, 1923.

My invention relates to terminal connectors and particularly totermmal contacts for conductively attaching an electrical de rounds the contact members Of the connector. The guard member designed, to prevent access to the contact members and to receive the plug of a flexible conductor cord. The guard members are usually permanently attached to the casing of the electrical device before the contact terminal member has been assembled thereon. Because of the limited space within the casing of the electrical device, it is frequently difficult to assemble the contact member and the terminal connections therefor, while the guard member is permanently fixed to the casing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a support for the contact members that is insulated therefrom and which may conveniently be attached to the guard member after the contact member has been completely assembled upon the support.

vide a connector having the above characteristics wherein the support may be de tachably assembled upon the guard member by bending integral lugs on the guard member into engagement with the support.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive connector for electrical devices such as percolators and the like.

These and other objects that will be made apparent throughout the further descrip tion of my invention are attained by means of the connector hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an elevational view of the lower portion of a percolator showing a portion of the casing cut away and the improved connector in longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is an end viewof the contact guard member A further object of my invention is to pro-- Serial NO. 655,921.

constituting a part of" the improved connector';

Fig. 3 is an elevational' view shown in Fig. 2,- and V Fig. 4 is a plan view of the contact member support constituting part of the improved connector. I V Referring to the drawings, the connector is shown applied to a percolator 5 which may be of any preferred electrically heated type. The body of the percolator is provided with a casing 6 constituting a base for the percolator and a container for the connector.

The connector comprises a tubular guard 7 of oval cross-section as indicated in Fig. 2. The guard member is provided at the inner end with a plurality of lugs or tongues 8 that are adapted to extend through openings 9 in a contact support member 11, which is provided with a peripheral flange 12 that telescopes over the inner end of the guard member 7 The contact support member 11 is provlded with a pair of circular openings 13 for receiving the threaded shank 14 of the con-, tact members 15 that project into the guard member 7. The contact members 15 are insulated from the support member 11 by means of insulating washers 16, which are centered in the manner indicated in Fig. 1' by the depressions 17. Metal washers 18 serve to clamp the insulating washers in position. The terminals'l.) and 21 of the heatmg element are connected to the contact members 15 by means of threaded nuts 22, one of which is shown, that serve to hold the contact members .15 and the centering and clamping washers in assembled relation upon the support member 11.

In the manufacture and assembly of a percolator or electrical device, to which the conductor is attached, the guard member 7 is first permanently welded to the base casing 6. The contact members 15 are assembled upon the support member 11 and connected to the heating element terminals 19 and 21. The support member 11 is then slipped over the lugs 8 to the position indicated in Fig. 1 and the lugs 8 are then bent outwardly into engagement. with the support member 11 and serve to retain the. support member in assembled relation to the guard member. It will be seen that the assembly of the various parts of the contact member upon the support member can be more readily accomof the guard plished while the support member is detached from the guard member andfconsequently considerable time and labor is saved in the assembly operation.

Heretofore it has been customary in oertain devices embodylng plug connectors to assemble the contact members directly upon the guard member, but it has been found that this means of assembly is very'difiicult and requires considerable time. By reason of the present method of assembly the contact members may be readily detached for inspection and repair by simply straighten-J ing the lugs 8 and removing the support member as desired. The construction is compact and inexpensive to manufacture.

While I have shown a connector attached to a percolator for the purpose of illustration, it will be understood that the device is applicable to a variety of electrical devices having terminals that aretobe connected to flexible connectors by means of a; plug.

While I have illustrated but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes,

"modifications, substitutions, additions and 'omissions may be made in the apparatus support member, a terminal contact member,

means for securing the contact member to the support member, means for insulating the contact member from the support member, and a tubularguard member overlapping the flangeof the support member'having integral lugs thereon extending through the perforation in thesupport member for detachablysecuringit to the guard member;

"2. The combination with an electrical device having a permanent tubular terminal guard member thereon, of. a terminal support having a terminal contact member secured thereto and insulated therefrom and means for releasably attaching the terminal support to the guard member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribedmy name this 2nd day of August,

RN S VSUTHERLAND. 

